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Allergy to pets can be not only a real nuisance, but also a serious threat to the he alth of people allergic to them. Unfortunately, it happens that a person allergic to pets does not want to part with their pet. However, when the hair of your beloved cat, dog or hamster causes allergies, a vicious circle forms. So, is it possible to live with an allergic pet?

Allergy to pets -dog, cat, hamster or favorite parrot - often ends with parting with the animal - and this is a tragedy for both children and adults.

So sometimes we decide to live with the troublesome symptoms of allergies, so as not to expose ourselves and our beloved pet to the drama of separation.

- It is very difficult for a doctor to recommend getting rid of the dog or cat. Once I heard from an allergic woman that she would sooner move out of the house than give up the cat. She didn't want to upset her child. Unfortunately, we cannot simultaneously desensitize the patient and agree to leave the source of the allergy behind, because this is a vicious cycle - says Prof. Karina Jahnz-Różyk from the Department of Clinical Immunology of the Military Medical Institute in Warsaw. - Removal of the allergen is the cornerstone of treatment. In special situations, we agree to contact with animals during desensitization therapy, but this applies to people professionally associated with them: veterinarians, people working with horses. In the case of pet owners, especially children, we can only alleviate the course of the allergic reaction, but we are unlikely to undertake treatment until the allergens are removed from the environment.

Animal allergens - what makes you allergic?

Allergens contained in:

  • hair
  • urine
  • saliva
  • feathers
  • epidermis

animals are extremely strong.

The feline allergen is the most potent and widespread. It stays in the apartment for a long time, even when the cat is no longer in it.

In dogs, the ability to induce allergies is very much dependent on the breed (dogs drooling are more allergenic).

Small rodents are also allergenic: hamsters, guinea pigs, mice. Their urine contains particularly aggressive allergens, because these animals excrete a significant amount of protein with it, and protein isresponsible for allergies.

- These are protein fragments called epitopes. We are already able to separate them - explains prof. Karina Jahnz-Różyk. - This is a chance to treat pet owners more effectively.

Important

The best cat for allergy sufferers

There is a lot of exaggeration in saying that white cats are less allergenic than others. But it is true that the proteins in a white cat's coat are slightly different from that of "colored" cats. It is also known that hormonally active cats are more allergenic. Application? A white neutered male is the best for an allergy sufferer.

Pet allergy - course

The course of a pet allergy depends on many factors:

  • from individual predispositions
  • on the intensity of allergens in the environment
  • from environmental contamination
  • and even the mental state of the patient

May come on suddenly or develop in stages. It happens that it unexpectedly subsides, or it smolders in hiding, only to explode again someday.

When deciding to have an animal at home, it is worth doing allergy tests, but even a negative test result does not guarantee that we will not become allergic to animal allergens in some time. On the other hand, when the test is positive, it does not have to mean an allergy, but only a predisposition that may never develop.

The fact that the four-legged householder will not become our enemy after some time is practically unpredictable.

The future belongs to genetic research, which fortunately is progressing quite quickly.

- Soon it will be possible to determine in detail whether someone is prone to this or that allergy. Because the fact that a person is allergic to pollen does not necessarily mean that they have an allergy to animal hair - emphasizes prof. Jahnz-Różyk. - Although it is indeed the case that if one allergy, such as pollinosis, is not treated, new allergens may be added to the course of the allergic reaction.

You must do it

Allergic and pet in one apartment - rules:

The presence of allergens in the apartment can be reduced and minimized or eliminated by the following methods:

  • Your apartment must be arranged so that it is easy to clean.
  • Change bedding as often as possible, wash bedspreads, blankets, curtains, beat carpets, clean upholstery.
  • Be sure to use a vacuum cleaner with extra filters.
  • Open windows and air out the rooms often.
  • Wash your hands and hair as often as possible.
  • Bath or even rinse the animal with water every now and then.
  • Don't let your dog or cat sleep in the bed.
  • Flip and wash the bedding every few daysquadruped.
  • Do not lick your face.

Animal allergy - research is still ongoing

It used to be believed that children with atopic diathesis should be protected against inhalation allergens. It was recommended to bring up in sterile conditions and absolutely away from animals - also from domestic fish, because their food strongly sensitizes them. Today all this is not so certain anymore.

Views on allergies are evolving. There are scientific papers saying that if from the very beginning there are animals in the child's environment, then the child becomes resistant to allergens.

The more we know about allergies, the more question marks.

It may be a consolation for pet owners that although theoretically, allergy to pets is an incurable disease, sometimes it passes unexpectedly.

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Category:

Allergies